Memories of a Distant Love
by MagicCarpet87
Summary: What if there was a story before Aladdin had met Jasmine? What kind of thrilling wonders happened before hand? Please read and review.
1. Learn from Ones Mistakes

Hello, it's been a while since my last fanfic. I've been on a Disney kick lately and I've been dying to make this fic after watching the Aladdin Trilogy. I mean, I'm sure this seems like ones of those fics where some girl falls head over heels for the street rat and he adors her and worships the ground she walks on...No, no, no, I promise it's nothing like that. I also promise that the chapters will get better. So, now I will shut up and allow you to enjoy my first Aladdin fic.

Disclaimer: Aladdin does not belong to me...although I do dream it did.

Everyone else: Belongs to me.

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Memories of a Distant Love

Chapter 1- Learn from Ones Mistakes

The sun blazed down on the city of Agrabah with a fierce growl of humidity that left those within Agrabah's walls frustrated with persperation, envying the sultan who most likely was bathed in the brisk walls of his elegant palace. They loved their sultan, but they weren't in favor of dying from the unbearable heat, being whisked away in a blazing inferno of sulking sweat that they cursed the royal name.

"Stop! Thief!" Day in, and day out, it was the same commotion. Taking a loaf of bread to fill ones stomach, being chased by the palace guards and escaping by a thread of hair just in time to settle down to enjoy ones "hard earned" meal. He was sick of living like this, but being a "street rat" had a price to pay. It wasn't all fun and games. He blew his raven tresses from his eyes and looked back to see if any guards were making their way down the allyway he had jumped into. None. With a sigh of relief, he climbed his way through the barrels and onto the otherside of the street, his treasure safe within the palm of his hand. Grinning to himself, he dove into another allyway and tore off the end of his prize and popped it into his mouth, savoring the wholesome flavor before chewing and finally swallowing. He continued to do this until he had finished the loaf entirely.

He was a boy in his late teens, around sixteen or so. His tresses as deep as midnight, with eyes as dark as chocolate and clothed in a violet vest, white/off-white pants that were patched up at the knee and topped off with a fez to match. He most definitely played the part.

He was orphened at the age of ten, leaving him to fend for himself. Stealing became something of a second nature to the boy. Getting better at it then the last time he had stolen an apple; growing twice as fast; twice as clever in strategy. It was a horrible way to live. But, whether they liked it or not, this is the way it was. Unless taxes were lowered, poverty was becoming larger than the population, if that was at all possible. Once again, they cursed their beloved sultan.

As the streetrat ate his loaf, commotion brewed elsewhere as a young woman no older than sixteen herself roamed Agrabah's marketplace, awaiting for an ignorant vender to turn his back so she may partake in any of the delectable items he had freshly created for a consumer to buy...or a street mouse to snatch.

"Just a little more..." she muttered, watching this particular vender carefully. He was a heavy set man, and she knew that he wouldn't be able to move fast enough if he were to catch her. But then, that was just in case after all. Elsewhere, trumpets played their melody as a crowd gathered by the palace balcony. Uninterested, she moved in and reached her hand out. The vender turned around to see. No go. "Damn it," she muttered softly, withdrawing quickly and drew her attention elsewhere as he looked over to her with a rather suspicious glance. She paid him no mind and looked up to the balcony. It was a blur, but she could make out the small little man that had been known as the sultan. Once again, he was grazing Agrabah's people once more with his presence. "Oh what a treat," she muttered rather sarcastically.

"Shush," a commoner silenced her. "The sultan has done many things for us. Placed a roof over our heads, gave us such fine food..." And from there he went on. And from there the young woman shook her head softly. How more wrong could this man be? Either he was brainwashed, blind, or just refused to believe that their ruler hadn't done a damn thing but raise the taxes and sit on his fat ass in the lap of luxury with his primp and proper brat. That was the true reality.

"If you say so," she said, more so to get this man off of her case. "By the way, what's going on?"

"As if you didn't know," he chuckled softly. "They're announcing the beginning of the many suitors to face Princess Jasmine. She must choose a husband after all, seeing as how once her father passes, she'll rule Agrabah. And what a fine job she'll do," he gave a rather satisfied sigh, which caused the young woman to contort her face in a rather odd look. The man frowned, "And what do you have against the royal family?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," she said, looking up to see the small man still going on with his speech, the small crowd that had gathered cheered. She tucked some of her brown locks behind her hair and frowned a bit as she watched. "I just don't understand, I suppose."

The man smiled. He was reaching his elderly ages, walked with a hunch, clad with balding gray hair. He had a rather kind face, but seemed very opinionated and had many good things to say about the sultan. She had words in response to that, but she wasn't about to argue with an old man, so, she left it as is.

"It was nice talking to you," he said, gave something of a wave and teetered on his merry way, passing through the small aisle in the middle of the marketplace to walk. Once she was sure the old man was out of her vision, she turned back to the cart to see the owner's attention was set on the sultan completely. With a grin she slowly moved in, her arm sliding up to the wood siding, then to the soft lining of the cart, then felt a ripe apple. With itching fingers, she quickly plucked a side one; she gave a grin in triumph, but that wouldn't last for long the moment she heard the low growl of rumbling. With a fearful glance, she peeked up to see the apples threatening to spill. "No, no, no..." she pleaded with the fruit for a moment or so before she gave something of a shriek as the apples toppled onto her.

The vender looked over to the racket which disturbed the hearing of his beloved sultan's speech to see his apples gone. The young woman groaned a little as she lifted her hand up and out of the pile, only to suddenly be grabbed by the wrist and held up for all to see. "Thief!" the vender shouted into her face as many others followed his loud voice. He shook her like a rag doll for a few moments, "Guards!" He shouted. "Guards!" No way was she going to allow herself to be found out. It would mean losing her breakfast, but, it was better than losing her head. She wiggled about in his grasp which caught him off guard for a moment or so, she caused enough friction to sweat, and the sweat creating a slippery grasp and thus setting her free upon being dropped onto the ground. She slid between the man's spread legs and hurried to her feet, running with the apple still intact in her hand. Hey, she even amazed herself sometimes.

She picked up her speed and climbed atop a few boxes, then shot over a wall to lose anyone who may have been in back of her, she was far too afraid to look back. Sighing with relief she settled down against the wall, sure she had lost those who had been most likely to follow her. She looked at the dark red apple in her hands and her eyes shimmered for a moment, leaning the apple into her lips, she felt a weight on her shoulder, then felt it hop off along with her apple. She blinked in confusion for a moment and found a small brown ball of fur make off with her food. "Hey!" She worked hard for her bit of food, and she wasn't going to let anyone take that away from her. The ball of fur was fast, she had to admit, but she was hot on its trail and would have caught it, if she didn't smack into something, or someone. For a minute, her whole world went black.


	2. It's Only Just the Beginning

Hello, all! I am back with chapter two of my fic and I hope you all are enjoying it thus far. I'm trying to make this as realistic sounding and as believable as I can. ...And I hope it's working, haha. Thank you, to the one person who had reviewed, it means a lot to me that someone it reading and giving such positive feedback, yay.

Anywho, onto chapter two! Please read and review, everyone!

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Chapter 2- It's Only the Beginning

"Hey, hey, can you hear me?" She couldn't see anyone, but she was sure someone was there. Shakily, she began to sit up, but failed and dropped back down to the ground. Surely, it was a rough smack into the young man. That, and the lack of nourishment caused her to lose her balance some. An apple a day alone couldn't possibly give the girl enough nutrients to see straight. The boy sighed, "Abu..." he scolded softly. "Looks like you did it this time," he said and gave another attempt to wake the girl once more.

The girl stirred lightly, slowly fluttering her eyes open, and looking up to see two large chocolate orbs staring down at her own, causing her own to widen. She could scream, at the same time, she could hit him, or perhaps a combination of both would suffice nicely. Nothing better to wake you up than to see two big eyes staring right back at you. She did the first thing her body would respond to, she raised her hand and smacked him clear across the face to move him off of her body. And move he did.

He scrambled away from her and held the area where she had hit him, rubbing it gingerly to ease the pain. "Wh-what was that for?" He questioned, not sure exactly why she would hit him to begin with.

She herself moved up to the wall, for one, thinking he was a palace guard and the quicker she moved away from him the better; and two, she needed something to lean against to help raise herself. But once her eyes were able to focus, she found out she was completely wrong. Once again, her eyes widened, "Shit..." she muttered. Boy, did she ever screw up. "I'm sorry," she said. "I-I thought..." her voice trailed off.

Shaking his head, the boy collected himself and walked over to her, offering a hand to assist her up, "Don't worry about it, I've been through worse," he grinned, trying to assure this girl of any guilt she may have felt towards this.

She bit her lip and nonetheless accepted his hand, feeling herself being pulled up and hitting against his body once more, though with a much softer force. "Did I hurt you?"

The boy shook his head and released the girl so she may stand on her own two feet. At first, she was a bit wobbly, but, she was stable afterwards. The girl was a petite young woman who stood at five feet and four inches. She held a lean body as any streetrat, was even a bit underweight. Though to attempt to hide this, she was clothed in a brown tattered old dress, which had once been white, and her feet were bound with nothing. Her dark brown tresses fell at her waist and were in a dire need of a good hair cut.

"So, where do you live?" The boy asked, "Maybe I can walk you to it?" He offered, and he did, in fact, make it sound tempting.

The girl merely shook her head, how could she explain that she didn't have one? "Don't trouble yourself," she said. "Really, it was kind of you to offer, though." She took a moment to think, it probably would have been best to leave, she had no business staying. And while she thought, the boy piped up, the silence was bothering him some. "I'm Aladdin," he said, figuring an introduction was better than not saying anything. The girl picked her head up from her thoughts, "Huh?" He gave a rather nervous smile, "I'm Aladdin," he repeated. Was he too forward?

"Savannah," she coughed out, "I'm Savannah," she said. He broke out of his nervous smile and suited himself into a more comfortable one. "Nice to meet you." He glanced the girl over once more, then met up with her rather nervous brown eyes. He were to question it, if she didn't suddenly say she needed to leave. "You too, I-I should be going. Umm, and again, I'm sorry"

"Hey, don't mention it, Savannah," he said, then looked down to the small ball of fur who had robbed her earlier. He bent down and plucked the treasure he had been hiding, the monkey screeching in protest. "You know that doesn't belong to you," he said. Then again, he himself shouldn't talk, now should he?

"No, really, he could keep it," she said. "I'll just go find myself another one," she said, then began to back up before she stayed any longer. "Thank you, anyway, umm, good bye, Aladdin," she said and clambered over the wall and to the other side, where she knew she was probably risking herself. Though it was sunset, most of them most likely forgot about her little incident earlier that day. She looked back, smiled a little to herself and walked the now lonely streets of Agrabah's marketplace. Savannah hummed to herself while she tucked a bit of hair behind her ear, her finger being claimed by a tangle. She looked to the long strand in disgust and continued to walk, venturing down an allyway she found a secluded area and settled down, curling herself up in a ball to keep warm.

Tomorrow would be better, she assured herself. Tomorrow she wouldn't be so foolish as to allow herself to get mixed up with an angry shop keeper and a near run in with the guards. She'd just have to take extra precaution is all. And with that assurance kept in mind, she allowed sleep to claim her.

Not too far off, Aladdin passed the allyway the girl had resided for the night. He wondered who that girl was, other than finding out her name he wanted to know more about her. It was nice to have at least someone besides a monkey to talk to. Not that he didn't appreciate the company Abu kept to him, but, sometimes he needed another human being to talk to. He'd been alone all his life, so, he hadn't known how to talk to anyone and he felt like an idiot in front of that girl. "Probably made a fool of myself," he muttered, then glanced over to the monkey who had finished the apple right down to the core and tossed it to the side with a full belly.

Aladdin smiled somewhat and stroked the monkey with his index and middle finger. The moon beamed on the duo as he walked through multiple blocks of homes and came upon a sector in which the moon bathed and in his line of sight had been the palace in all of its glory. For a moment, the boy could feel his heart race. "What I wouldn't give to live there," he said. "Wouldn't be scrounging for food, or sleep in the cold anymore. We wouldn't have any problems at all..." But who had he been kidding? It was just a far off dream that he would have to wish for to get even close to getting into the palace.

"Come on, Abu...lets go home," he said, then looked over to his shoulder to find out that the monkey had fallen asleep at some point while he had been lost in his fantasies. He laughed a bit and passed a few more blocks, climbed up a ladder and settled down in a messy, but spacious room. A part of the wall had been knocked out, but, was covered by a sheet in a weak attempt to keep the cold out. The boy settled the small monkey on a pillow that seemed twice its size and covered the frail body with a small navy blanket that had been a mere scrap of cloth that he found one day.

Once he was sure that his furry friend was settled in, he sat on the ledge and looked out towards his view of the palace. He often stared at it, but there was no view like what he had seen earlier, up close and nearly personal. But, that was merely feeding his boyish dreams. Hey, that's what kept him going, right? Gave him at least a little glimmer of hope. As long as he dreamed, he was still Aladdin.


	3. Just Another Glance Will Do

Wow...how the time flew. I didn't realize how long it was and I apologize for that. I had a lot going on, but, now I'm back and hopefully I'll be able to keep the rest of this up on a steady basis. I hope you're enjoying the story so far, and please keep reviewing!

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Chapter 3- Just Another Glance Will Do

The next morning had been the same as any other, bakers would put out their fresh rolls; the seafood vender setting out the fresh catch that had been caught earlier that morning, fruit venders polishing their apples and pears to attempt to attract customers to their kiosks with the bright colors and the fresh appeal…they figured nothing could go wrong.

_That saying applied to anyone…unless you were a street rat._

And of course the street rats had no luck. They tried to eat and they got caught. That's just how it worked. The lucky ones got at least a nibble, rare if they got more. Children rummaged through trash heaps and dumpsters, not wanting to even risk the various stands that laid before them, knowing what would happen to them if anything went wrong.

_That was just the problem…Something always went wrong._

True enough as it was…that was just how things had to be for the time being. The raven haired boy the street mouse had met the evening before laid on top of one of the canopy's that hung above a melon stand, the monkey carefully plucking a cantaloupe, and curling back up to the one called Aladdin.

The female on the other hand shoved her hands into her pockets, her eyes roaming from tabletop to tabletop, like a woman with money doing her daily window shopping, just…excluding the money. There was something in particular she had been looking for, a certain something, or even a someone, although at the moment, even she wasn't so sure.

"Now where could it…aha, here we go," she murmured to herself, her face lighting up as she neared her destination; the various baked goods practically screaming out her name. She crept up, moved a dish of cinnamon rolls and picked herself up upon the sturdy counter, crossing her legs like she had seen the elegant middle class woman, trying to copy their sophisticated technique. She waited until the baker turned to face her.

"Oh! Savannah!" He jumped, blinking at her as though he had seen an apparition, or something of the sort.

The girl grinned, "Morning."

"And what brings you to my humble abode this morning?"

He was a middle aged man, late thirties, possibly early forties. He still kept a "baby face," youthful, crowning his appearance to a late twenties, more than anything. His chocolate orbs smiled at the girl in front of him, while his hands shooed her off of his clean counter.

"Just came to see how you were doing," she said, not budging from her spot. "I haven't seen you for quite sometime after all."

The elder man nodded as this was true. He set some rolls into a basket, hot buns in another. Once more, he attempted to shoo her off of his counter, needing the space. Finally, the girl obliged and shifted off of his counter, leaning against it for support. The smell of those rolls was driving her insane.

"Would you like one?" He questioned, perhaps even able to hear her stomach roar.

"I wouldn't want to impose…" Although her eyes told a different tale, her orbs scanning the baskets, searching for the largest one. And luckily, she knew he didn't expect payment from her.

"Not at all," he smiled, letting her choose as she pleased. "Just one, though."

And one was more than enough. Finding the fluffiest one, she bit into it, savoring the steam and the warm flavor, slipping into her own world for just a second before drowning back into reality. Savannah glanced back at the man who had been giving a soft chuckle.

"You remind me more and more of your mother every time I see you, my dear," he said as he gazed at her fondly. "How I do miss her so."

"Yeah…you and me both," she said softly. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't leave a lily for her."

Although their chat had abruptly ended when the elder man from the day before had tumbled into the girl's arms, she falling onto her side. Venders glanced at the commotion at the baker's stand, the baker himself wasn't sure whether to help or not. The answer came clear as one of the palace guards charged after the elderly man.

"Stop! You! Girl! Don't let him get away!"

The elder man stared at her with fearful eyes. Savannah stared at him, curious why someone who seemed more well off than she would be in such a predicament. However, she hadn't the time to ask questions to herself. She helped the man up and hurried off to hide. The guards weren't ignorant, they recognized her from the day earlier. Once they had realized, the head of the guards saw this as an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

Up on the canopy, Abu scrambled to the tip of the pole that held the cloth together, watching the riot begin to unravel. "Abu, what're you looking at?" Aladdin asked, peering over with his furry friend, seeing the damsel in distress with her…father? Who ever, Aladdin figured to himself that he felt obligated to assist, it's what his heart told him.

Dashing and bouncing from canopy to canopy, he followed the girl. She was swift, even with the old man in hand. He felt he thought too soon as the guards followed right behind her, cornered her at a dead end. That's what they had planned, it seemed, from the very beginning. Agrabah's marketplace had been engraved in their skulls, as sad as that sounded. Aladdin pondered for a moment, climbing up the side of the building, he loosened the tie to a clothes line, zipping down, and snagging the girl around her waist, taking her up with him, along with the old man whose hand had been gripped tight to the young woman's with no intention of letting go. The guards followed on a hot pursuit, until, well, misfortune struck them…face first into a wagon of camel manure.

Aladdin grinned, setting the three of them onto a balcony to a house whose occupants weren't home at the moment, luckily for them.

"Are you alright?" Savannah turned to the old man, who had taken a seat on the cold, stone floor. He nodded weakly, she not daring to ask why he had been running from them.

"Seems like you can't seem to stay out of trouble, hm?" Aladdin smirked as he brushed himself off, Abu snickering his tiny monkey snicker.

"Very funny, I'll have you know-" She turned around, ceasing in mid sentence to stare at the young man who had saved her ass the previous day. "Aladdin…"


	4. In the Middle of the Night

Alright, well, here's chapter four for everyone. I hope everyone is enjoying the fic so far! I can't believe some of you would put this on "Story Alert" or put me under "Favorite Author" or put this story under "Favorite Story". Wow. I am just touched. I cannot believe you guys love this fic so much, heh... Anywho, if you've noticed, this chapter's a bit lengthy. I thought we'd take a bit of an insight on Savannah's P.O.V. although this is just the tip of the iceberg, remember, hehe. Sorry that the last chapter lacked in detail or anything of the sort, I'm promising better chapters in the future!

Anywho, I am going to stop chit-chatting and let you all go on and enjoy. Keep on reading, and I love those reviews!!

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**Chapter 4- In the Middle of the Night**

Aladdin stood there, hands lightly placed on his hips as he watched the young woman brush herself off. This was now their third encounter, so he believed, and he was beginning to attach himself to her; like a child would attach his or herself to their first playmate or best friend. She was an interesting character, that Savannah, and he wanted to know more of her.

"As I said, you just can't seem to stay out of trouble," he smirked.

Savannah quickly grew out of her embarrassed state, now that she was back on guard, collected herself, and slipped back into character. "I'll have you know I was doing fine on my own," she argued. Although Aladdin didn't quite believe her, so, he offered a teasing grin.

"Uh huh…so…you had the entire situation under control while the guards were chasing you?"

"That's what I had planned," she responded not a moment sooner then he asked it.

The elder man glanced from one to the other. To him, it was all so confusing…all he wanted to do was go back home, crawl into his bed and sleep. Although there wasn't all that much confusion at hand. As much as Savannah was attempting to put up a fight, Aladdin continued to weaken that chance for her, and made it all seem like a game.

"Right." He raised his eyebrow.

"It was!"

Alright, so, she was going to give up. She found this fight progressing no where and no where fast, and he didn't seem to be giving her much of a fighting chance at all. So, there was just no use in continuing. The elder man stood, knees shaking a bit as he attempted to climb back up onto his own two feet. He was going to go home with or without an escort (not that he expected one). He was grateful enough that the two young people were able to help him escape and result without scratches on themselves.

Savannah heard the scrapes and shifts as he picked himself up, she offering a lending hand, although he declined. "Are you going to be alright?" She asked him. He picked his humble eyes up at her.

"I'll be fine," he assured her. "I'll just take my leave now."

"Do you need any assistance?" She inquired further. He shook his head.

"I'll be fine," he responded, patted her hand and began to slowly make his way out of the house. Quite a bold move, although he hadn't an option at the moment. He certainly wasn't going back down the way he came. He was going to risk himself getting caught in a more sensible way. He didn't feel that suicide was appropriate.

As Savannah watched him teeter down, her gaze met back upon her saviors, as much as she didn't want to admit it…well…there he was. "Yes, well…umm…I should be leaving then." There was no question to it. It was clear enough a statement.

"You should leave with your father then," he said, watching the old man off. "He shouldn't be going off by himself."

"My father?" She asked, staring at him confusingly. "Oh, you thought? No, no," she laughed lightly. "No, he's just someone I met in the marketplace yesterday. Besides, he seems fine."

Aladdin merely nodded in understanding. So, she was here alone, then? Savannah on the other hand hadn't been so used to being stared at in any way other than disgust, so, she just had to question it, just like everything else.

"Do you have a problem?" She asked defensively.

"No, no," he responded to her. "It's just that I have to wonder what a girl like you is doing out here all by herself, is all." He stuffed his hands into his pockets as he spoke, taking a few steps to the right.

"I've always been by myself," she said, stating it as casual as if saying, "I have someone waiting for me." Although that would have been a lie. She was strong about it, however, she wasn't trying to grab sympathy from the boy. Aladdin nodded once more, just to show that he was paying attention.

"What a coincidence, so have I." Not that that was anything unusual, street-rats were often left on their own. This time, it was Savannah to nod. It was hard to break the ice and say something to drag on a decent conversation. Abu, on the other hand, thought this was the perfect time for him to come and save the night with his shrieks to alarm them of the owners returning from the evening out. Aladdin peered over the balcony, then glanced back up at the female, "I guess this would be our exit then?" he questioned this with a teasing grin, only for her to smirk lightly in return and hop over the balcony's railing.

"One jump ahead of you," she said playfully, as though the twinkle in her eye suggested a challenge to see who could escape without being found first, in return for his interruption earlier on her challenge then. Aladdin followed her, not quite wanting to accept her "challenge" right there and then, perhaps he would after he had made sure she was at least half way down the building, he climbed further up the house and onto the roof, waiting until Savannah made it down onto the ground before he began to leap from top to top, she following on foot. They were sure the owners were none the wiser.

When they had caught up to one another on even ground, Aladdin slid down from the roof had he been currently on, slid down a rope and met her on the ground, proceeding to stroll down the blocks of homes, few lights were on. If they were to glance in, they would see mother's tucking their children in before blowing out their only source of light, leaving another dark home on the block. Savannah turned her head away, proceeding to continue to walk with Aladdin, not too sure where their destination lied yet. It wasn't until a few blocks out of the way did he ask her.

"Do you want to see something amazing?"

The offer was tempting, and really, who was she to decline? So, she nodded, hurrying to catch up with him as he took her down sharp turns, grasping onto her wrist so she didn't lose her place, he continued on, head first into a building that seemed more like a maze, a labyrinth of sorts. "It's just a little further," he assured her. His assurance was well kept, she had to admit that. But, she didn't say anything period, just followed him up a few flights stairs, a ladder or two and then into a crawl space until they finally reached the very top. Abu attempted to keep the two away from one another. Aladdin was his friend and not hers, and the monkey just wasn't about to let her walk on in and take over like who she thought she was. Nope. It just wasn't happening.

Though Aladdin saw it differently, and was going to let it happen with open arms.

When he had stepped onto solid ground, he crouched over and held his arms out to assist her up. Abu quickly scurried over to his shoulder and made a feeble attempt to bat her hands away. Aladdin glanced over to his shoulder, frowning lightly before grasping onto the others slender hands and slowly slid her up and into his 'palace'. While she picked herself up, her body gently tapped into his, her eyes rising from his feet, to his bare chest, up to those chocolate orbs….

'_Oh boy…Alright, Savannah, it's just a guy, like any other guy. Calm down and get a grip, girl!'_

She deemed her thoughts would save her, yet, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks nonetheless, he offered her a gentle smile which didn't seem to help. Savannah swallowed hard, Abu glared at her, getting in between the two, flailing his hands in anger while he sputtered, shrieked, and whined. She heard the other utter a sigh while she slipped back into reality and willed the heat away.

The room was dark, she took a moment to adjust her eyes to the setting, letting herself absorb the darkness. She close them, then opened again and finally found herself able to see somewhat. Aladdin took this time to think for a moment.

"I promised to show you something amazing," he suddenly said.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess you did," she muttered.

A playful grin rose to his face once more as he stepped over to the sheet that covered the window, noticing the few beams of moonlight that had managed to seep inside to provide even the tiniest bit of light. He drew back the sheet, the moonlight hitting her, bathing the young woman with its effecting rays. Though, he didn't bring her all the way to his home just to show her a moon, she was sure. She could see that well enough in an alley on her own. No. It was what lied beneath it. The Palace.

"Isn't it amazing?" he asked, quite proud of such a fine view. This had been his greatest joy since…well…he wasn't sure since when.

Savannah stared at the large formation, absorbing it into her memory bank, mapping every detail. So, he was a dreamer…where as she was a realist (so she felt, anyway). Now she understood while he smiled so much, no realist could ever smile so much. Not with the horrible truth laying right there before your very eyes. She assumed he took each day by a dream and a dream alone; a goal, so to speak.

"Speechless, I know," he said, admiring the view. There was no smile, more like a look of placidness and content. "Don't you wish you could live there?"

Now that was something she could laugh at. She thought about it. She didn't. "It's amazing alright," she said, and nothing more.

Aladdin turned away from the palace's view to her. "It's something. Don't you just wish, though? You wouldn't have to scrounge for food…no more hoping, or wishing. You'd have anything you could ever want, right there at your fingertips, you wouldn't have any problems at all…"

"I suppose you could," she said, crossing her arms over her chest loosely. She was trying to look at it from his point of view, but, was finding it very hard to do so. Seemed like it was almost everyone's wish. And she couldn't blame them. To live in the lap of luxury, have all the money and treasures in the world… She wouldn't want to rule, though. She'd want to rebuild Agrabah…rebuild its system and how its inhabitants were treated, especially the children… It angered her so that the Sultan, or his brat hadn't taken the time to notice what was going on outside their golden walls. It made her want to scream…cry even. Even if she wouldn't stoop that low. She didn't want to be a hero, she just wanted a difference crowned on their fair city.

But, that's just not how it went. It played a different tune and the game piece was in the other hand, the richer hand.

She stepped closer to the window. She was so close, she felt she could almost touch the walls. Aladdin watched her, calling out her name several times before she took notice.

"Hmm? What?" She blinked. Savannah took note that they were two different people. But, as they said…opposites attract, no?

"Nothing," he laughed lightly, leaving the sheet to the side to give them more light to see so they could chat longer. He was enjoying this time with someone else, the beginning of a new friendship as he saw it. "So…" he began, hoping to rouse another topic, since the converse of the Palace bothered her for some reason, perhaps something had happened involving the royals in general, but, he wasn't going to pry.

That was now the night progressed. They talked about various different topics, they skipped the part about themselves, the two of them got the vibe they would know more about one another in due time. So, there was nothing to rush. And since there was no rush, their chatting shifted all through the evening and developed into the sunrise. Savannah had shifted into a comfortable position, leaning against the wall, eventually drifting off to sleep when the talk grew light.

Aladdin watched the sun begin to rise above the palace, his eyes glistening with so much hope; so much belief. He even thought, maybe, he'd share his dream with her. If he even gained position on the throne, he'd offer her a seat in power, once he figured out how he'd go about doing that. He was sure that someone so similar to he would enjoy that. Even if he hadn't quite realized how different the two were. He glanced over to the girl to question about breakfast, though found her asleep. He gazed at her contently for a moment, a light chuckle seeping past his parted lips, and lifted one of the blankets beneath Abu, who hissed softly about being stirred awake, and draped it over her slender form. He would just wait until she awoke. He wouldn't disturb her.


	5. For a Moment Like This

Alright! Chapter five at long last! Thank you for the reviews everyone, they've been most helpful to me as I've been writing this. I hope you're all enjoying. Again, I'm trying to make this as realistic as possible, then again, I'm not sure how realistic one can get in the Aladdin universe, hm?? Heh. I just hope Savannah's character is fitting for this little piece, honestly. Alright, what else...hmm...alright, this chapter is suppose to just be a little romantic piece to help it along, the real good stuff will happen in the following chapters, I'm promising. Also, sorry this took me so long. I was trying to speed time up without making it looked rushed, haha. Probably still looks rushed XD. Anywho, enough of my rambling, enjoy!

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Chapter 5- For a Moment Like This

The rain had stopped. A veil of mist parted to introduce painted skies of pinks and oranges, purples and a tint of remaining blue, which had been deepening to break through for the evening to emerge. Birds twittered their last melodies before settling in for well needed sleep. It was one of those nights where the evening just didn't make sense. There were nights such as those, somewhere around the world…and it just so happened to hit Agrabah this evening.

With a crimson moon to begin with and a warm, gentle breeze, Savannah stood by the oversized hole in Aladdin's home, pushing back the curtain far enough for her to see. Aladdin sat nearby, sharing his half of the loot with his partner who sifted through some fruit until he chose one ripe enough for his taste. It had been days since they last spoke; weeks since they had a conversation even close to the one they had that evening.

_Silence._

By now, the birds had stopped their twittering and the crickets had exchanged places to serenade lovers and loners alike.

_Silence remained._

Savannah glanced back to the acquaintance that she now called a friend, watching him and his acquaintance feed from the horde that the two of them had managed to gather. Savannah wasn't going to feed just yet, she would eat whatever remained in the aftermath. He would glance back at her from time to time, and when their gazes would connect, she would look away in embarrassment. Soon enough, the tension between the two was thick enough to cut with a sharp implement.

"So, did you have any trouble out there today?" Aladdin questioned, he figured he would be the one to thaw the frozen wasteland. Savannah shook her head.

"No, it was fine…how about you?" Still, she wouldn't turn her gaze to him, knowing what the outcome would be if she were to.

"No, no trouble, as usual," he smirked. He knew his brilliance, but just wasn't cocky enough to really display it. He was just teasing after all. He got up from the floor and padded over to the sheet. "And what is it that's got you so occupied?" he asked, taking hold of the end she had been holding and pulled back the screen, watching the moon rise gradually above them.

"It's a nice view tonight, after a rain storm," Savannah murmured softly. Aladdin nodded, slipping a casual arm around her to rest on her shoulder. Already she could feel the heat rise to her cheeks. She took note of the little things with him, like how he would always touch her by a mere hand hold to a slip around the shoulders. He showed it as a sign of affection, something casual for the boy, but for Savannah it beheld several meanings. Perhaps she looked too in depth into something so simple.

"Hey, look, look, quick," Aladdin distracted her attention back into focus to the horizon ahead, just before the sky fell into black abyss. He pointed out a strip of various colors…mainly indigo, red and yellow. Savannah's eyes widened gently, leaning over the edge to see further, Aladdin kept an eye on her to make sure she hadn't leant over too far, though he knew she was alright.

"I've never seen one before," she whispered in awe.

"I've seen one once or twice before," he said, watching as it faded away. After all, they had only caught the bitter end of it, they followed the remainder as far as it went, both pairs of chocolate eyes landing on the bulk of the palace. Savannah frowned. What was once a breathtaking beauty, turned out to be the beast in disguise. There was no pot of gold at the end of that rainbow. "Amazing…" Now, it had been Aladdin's turn to breathe, awestricken.

Savannah arched a brow over to him, picking herself up and composing herself once more against the wall, "Must we?" she questioned, referring to the palace.

"I've noticed something about you," Aladdin pointed out. "And I've got to know, what do you have against the palace?"

"What do you love so much about it?" She retaliated.

"I asked first," he said, glancing up at her from her bare feet to her angered eyes. Oh, how they flared up with hatred in regards to Aladdin's beloved palace.

"…" Savannah wasn't sure how to word it. She had never been put on the spot before, and Aladdin was quite determined to find out what she had against it. "Tell me, Al…" Somewhere along the line, she had given him a nickname of her own when she was either annoyed or angry with him over something. "What good have they ever done for you?"

The question startled him some. He had never been asked that. He dreamed. That's what he did. He never really looked in depth to it. "It's given me something to think about," he said, finally.

"I don't mean a dream, Aladdin," she said softly, taking his hands into her own for a moment. He stared at them, then up at her. She continued, "I mean, realistically, what have they ever done for you? They're up in that palace all day, basking in those golden walls of theirs! They don't give a damn while were down here, suffering and scraping for food… It's not about whether it's _fair _or not either…no, now it's gone far beyond that. People are ill, dying even, children are looking in dumpsters for a bite… And…and…" she took a moment to breathe, thinking about how to word her last bit. "And it's not fair. They don't know…they don't see- they don't take the time to see what's become of their city."

Aladdin had nothing to say, just as she expected.

"They're selfish people…why look up and want that? They wouldn't care whether you lived or died," She said to him, squeezing his hands gently, then finally let them go. He felt something wet as she withdrew. Had she been crying? He glanced up, she hadn't touched her face, the tears ran like the Nile, wet, with no intention of ceasing.

He raised his hand again, resting his palm against her cheek, moving his thumb up, he grazed the Nile. She said nothing in response to this, though felt herself being moved in one quick, fluid motion, her body pressed up against his, his strong arms embracing her, physically assuring her that she wasn't alone, she could cry and it would be alright. He wasn't sure of what to say, or if there was anything that he could say that would make her feel any better. No…he was sure there wasn't, all he could do was embrace her, just as he was.

The flow of her tears had ceased. She didn't move. Time seemed to stand still. There was no sound of the crickets, no trickle of the fountain. Just the sound of their heartbeats that seemed to have joined as one for that split second. Savannah closed her eyes, letting the moment take her as it pleased.

"I'm sorry, I had…I had no idea." That was just the first chapter, he was sure, more must have lied locked inside of her heart where he may not tread until she so desired for him to, a day he would await for eagerly. He felt her shake her head, gazing up at him so vulnerably, her exterior had diminished for that moment, just for him. He had never seen a woman look at him like that, but, as they say, there's a first for everything. He tightened his grip on her, her cheeks burned bright. No words were needed, her eyes were the book of the story he longed to read.

He leaned down, nuzzling his nose against hers for a moment before his lips caressed themselves against hers, a sense of dominance commanding him as he pressed further, she obliged and accepted, returning his form of compassion, he fingers biting into his vest. She felt the velvet, the silk against her lips, the delicious venom of a man's kiss, powerful, lingering…it also stung like no other, didn't necessarily mean in the negative way, either.

Together, they stood, bathed in the enchanting glow of the moon, tangled in one another's arms, the other refusing to let go, as it was the first of many eve's to truly express ones current feelings. If not by words, then by actions. Some people waited a lifetime for that certain moment where their heart fluttered, a moment Savannah would often dream of and Aladdin had often seen, but never felt. Whether it was for comfort, or to bud a blossom of feelings yet to come…that was only for time to but. Yet, for the time being, the duo would wait it out.

It was one of those nights where nothing made sense...somehow, it was beginning to clarify.


	6. The Beginning of the End

Alright, chapter six at long last. I'm sorry this one also took so long, everyone, I had a lot of things going on and just needed sometime to gather my thoughts. But, I'm back and I hope this chapter is satisfactory. It may not be my best, but, it's something to move the story along and from here, I'm assuring that things will get better! Haha, bet you can't guess who's coming in next P. Enjoy, please keep reading and reviewing!

Disclaimer: I do not own Aladdin, Disney does. There, so no one thinks I'm stealing, haha.

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Chapter 6- The Beginning of the End

She couldn't lose the memory of that kiss, the scent of his skin, or the taste of his lips. That night seemed to prove to her that magic did exist, that there had been hope somewhere in the world and on that particular night, it dawned down and crowned her with wondrous bliss. Savannah felt like the richest woman alive. With the way she felt, no woman could top her with all the jewels and gold that they possessed. She often would question to herself what that feeling was, and why she felt it so strongly. She wondered if this was considered a taboo to the street-rats of her generation, or any generation for that matter, what they called this glorious feeling, this "love".

If it were, it surely was budding deep within her where no one could reach, like the many secrets of her heart, secured under lock and key. Savannah wandered the bustling streets of the marketplace, looking at her disheveled appearance in a glass plate being displayed and combed her tangled hair with her fingers, doing the best that she could with it until the kiosk vender shooed her away, claiming she was bad for business, something like a black cat. She gave the vender a look and walked on, startled by the sudden face in front of hers, like a clumsy imitation of Spider Man.

He grinned at her, she rolled her eyes.

"You are an idiot," she stifled a laugh.

"Yes, but," he started, climbing down once another vender began to holler and create a bad mimic of Abu on a bad day. Once more, Savannah rolled her eyes and tugged him along, but not long before he spun her in his arms and presented her with a flower, a lily to be more specific. "I'm an idiot whose brought you a flower," he completed.

Savannah felt the heat rise to her cheeks, color adorning her usual pale complexion. She accepted the flower and sampled its sweet aroma. "Mmm, well then, I guess your sweetness and thoughtfulness overrides your stupidity." The street urchin grinned.

"Thank Allah for that!" he teased, walking beside her, stopping her for a moment to tuck the blossom into her tangled locks, though he didn't seem to mind much. "There," he stated. "Looks good on you."

"Oh does it?" Savannah questioned nonchalantly, passing by a few kiosks, though scarcely glanced over at a polished pot, catching her reflection in it, taking a moment or so to fluff her hair up.

_For a moment she felt like a real woman. _

"Sav, you comin' or what?" He had granted her with the nickname "Sav" only for the sake that her name was so long, and this just made it that much easier for the urchin to call out to her when they were on the run. Savannah picked her eyes up from her reflection to look back at him, give a timid and nervous scratch at the back of her head and walked away, back to his side to move on home.

Around this time the sun had just begun to set. The two took their time heading back.

"So, tell me, Aladdin, what do you see in the future?" Savannah began the conversation, just trying to stir up small talk to avoid nothingness. Aladdin thought long and hard about it, trying to pick the right words with her. He didn't want to offend her as he had the few months prior to their last conversation on the subject.

However, he smiled at her. "You know what I want, Sav," he said softly. "I want to take it easy for a change. Look at what we've been through. Do you really want that for the rest of your life?"

Savannah had to take a moment to respond. It was true what he was saying. They had been through enough, they deserved to take it easy. Just for once, they should stray from the pumpkin patch and move into the strawberry fields. She knew, she was aware. She just wouldn't accept it.

Aladdin took the silence as understanding and looked up at the darkening sky. The stars gleamed, covering the duo with a blanket of glistening wonder. "Imagine me? The Sultan," he chuckled lightly. "And you…"

Savannah picked her head up, "Yes?" Aladdin seemed to be in thought as far as her position went. She merely looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

"You will be my trusted Vizier!" he announced, chuckling wholeheartedly. Savannah's hope faded and forced a weak smile.

"O-oh, Vizier, huh? That's…some position," Savannah replied. Aladdin took no notice to how she responded.

"Isn't it, though?" He asked, grinning from ear to ear. "And I will have a princess at my side, and we will rule all of Agrabah!" he proclaimed. His high hopes never disappeared, and he wasn't afraid to show it; then again, he was getting carried away. "Servants and valets, cooks who will prepare the finest meals! And cleaners who will make the floors sparkle! It will be a new era for Agrabah, Savannah, you'll see!" He was getting worked up, and Savannah was upsetting herself. A dreamer was a dreamer after all, and a realist could only dream so much without seeing the real outlook to it. She dreamt of a whole new Agrabah alright, but nothing like he had imagined.

"But…what about the city? The palace is fine and dandy, but, what about the city?" His excitement was simmering upon the tone in her voice. Uh-oh, he thought to himself. He had upset her again.

He stepped in front of her and picked her chin up with his masculine fingers, picking her eyes up to meet his. "What do you think I mean what I say a new era?" He asked. "No one will go hungry again…and what do you think the Royal Vizier does, Sav? She will take care of all of my important royal things," he smiled, hoping this would make her feel better.

"Even though it should be you to go out and right these wrongs?" She questioned.

"I know it would mean a lot to you if you would," he quickly responded, keeping a steady grin to please her.

She didn't believe him, there was something that told her not to trust, although she still trusted nonetheless. Finally, she rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'm a royal whatever," she said, then flashed him a quick smile.

"That's what I wanted to hear," he said, patting her shoulder before heading on back.

Normally, Savannah would have been startled by mere touch alone. Her heart still pounded, and color bathed her cheeks. But just something about their conversation left her with a bad taste in her mouth. She couldn't pick out what it was, but she was sure she figured it out later. She watched him walk away, her hands down at her sides and a hopeless look plastered upon her face.

Now what?

* * *

Not too far from where the two hosted their conversation, trouble brewed elsewhere. _(Well, trouble would be exaggerating the situation. But, I'm sure one gets the idea.)_ She had managed to sneak out of her bedroom without notice. With a sigh of relief she crept past a pond in the center of the yard which housed many different fish for decoration. The sky seemed so tempting to her, freedom tugged at her soul, made her feel so alive, for just a moment.

She reached one of the trees that rested beside a wall, she thought to herself and started to climb the tree, feeling herself being pulled back, as though being told she couldn't have what she wanted. She glanced back behind her, believing she had been caught for a second. She had been, but by her one and true friend.

"I'm sorry, Rajah…" she said as she tugged the cloth free from the feline's mouth, kneeling down to his level. "But I can't stay here and have my life lived for me…" she said gently, hugging his soft fur to her, as though it may possibly be for the final time. After a moment of her silent goodbyes, she returned to her feet, stroking him gently before attempting to climb the tree, being assisted in this task, along with whines and whimpers, she managed to gain her footing and climb over the wall, keeping her balance to steal one last look upon that sad face. She herself frowned, if only for a moment.

"Goodbye," she whispered, dropping down to the ground and ran for it towards the streets of Agrabah's marketplace. She wasn't sure where or how she was sleeping tonight, but she was sure she'd find a way.

As much as it was a new beginning for this new female, to our beloved Savannah, this was just the beginning of the end.


	7. Princess Jasmine

Disclaimer: Hey everyone, sorry for just randomly disappearing, as well as my extended leave. I didn't expect to have gone from this fic for so long. Sorry guys. I know how you're hanging there with me, probably now by only a thread, haha, right? Anywho, for those who are still reading, this is another chapter just for you guys. I have a lot planned with Aladdin and Savannah, so, just sit tight. I doubt I'll be having any more issues with friends and the like, so, my goal to finish this fic will be completed. Please keep reading and I hope to get a lot of reviews!

Also, thank you to everyone who has stuck with me on this and is a total AlxSav shipper, haha, if there are any of you out there. Who knows. Happy reading, all!

Also: Aladdin doesn't belong to me, belongs to Disney.

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Chapter 6- Princess Jasmine

She had found refuge in someone's home that evening and left before sunrise so they wouldn't find her still there in the morning. It was an entirely new experience for the palace dweller, and at the moment, she hadn't even thought of being found by Razoul or any other the other guards that seemed more like her keepers. They followed her everywhere she went, there was no such thing as a 'moments peace,' she didn't even know the meaning, especially what with the recent events lingering. It was all too much for the young woman, and she needed a sense of peace somewhere in between all the madness.

Shop keepers had just been opening, the smell of freshly baked goods floated in the air, which warmed the young woman's heart…and made her stomach mewl with hunger, however, she would worry about her hunger problems later. At the moment, there was a whole city she had yet to discover.

It was beginning to be an ordinary morning for the people of Agrabah. Housewives ventured the marketplace for their families dinner, young men reeled the fish in, and street urchins sat up on canopy's and awnings, searching for breakfast. Aladdin and his companion Abu had been making an attempt to fool the shop keeper to gain ones morning meal.

"Alright, Abu, you know what to do," Aladdin passed along to the monkey in a hushed tone while the vender had been advertising his 'delectable' melons that even made Savannah giggle. _(And lets face it, Savannah never giggled. …Okay, maybe once.) _The monkey saluted and down he went, his tail curling and latching onto something nearby, a pole perhaps as he came face to face with the vender, distracting him from Aladdin, whose hands dropped, slipping his palms around a nice looking one before bringing it back up.

"Get away from that! Shoo!" The vender was beginning to get frustrated with the animal.

Once Abu had caught a glimpse of his partner reaching their goal, he let the vender take his melon back, tipped him his fez, and grinned, "Bye bye!" and up he went back to his good friend who cracked the melon in two. The little chimp feasting from his half. Aladdin let a smile slip.

Savannah was off elsewhere searching for breakfast, but wound up looking at jewels instead. Hey, she was buying her time preciously. There was no reason to rush into anything, unless she was asking to be caught. That's when you knew a street urchin was just asking for it; especially the inexperienced ones. Time was everything. You had to map it out just right.

"Would the pretty young like a pretty necklace? A pretty necklace for a young and beautiful woman like yourself," said the keeper, giving a nice, big, charming grin for the young woman he had been presenting it to.

Savannah had been quite flattered by his statement, "Oh, well, I… I couldn't…" she felt her face flush, however, she soon learned she wasn't alone. The flush fell from her cheeks. The keeper wasn't talking to her; the man presenting the delicate jewels didn't even look in her direction. Instead, she heard another young woman.

"Oh, no, I couldn't…really…"

Well, that was embarrassing on the street urchin's end, no doubt. However, she further watched her where she would move to next. Since the new girl obviously showed no interest there.

She leaned over onto the counter and smirked as a fish was soon thrust into the newcomer's face, and meeting the booming voice of the fish merchant who was trying to sell them, claiming they were freshly caught and feeding any listening audience bits of information to attempt to attract customers. She tried hard not to laugh, but could contain herself no longer. The look on her face was priceless. Which also earned a stern look from the jewel keeper, then of one in confusion, as though he had been trying to place her face from somewhere before in the past.

Savannah blinked. She had a feeling she was in trouble. She grinned, then slowly began to back away. She quickly moved to someplace more obscure where she wouldn't be so obvious to the naked eye, her eyes once more finding the fresh face of Agrabah once more.

The young woman bumped into a fire eater while trying to back away from the fish merchant. Obviously today was not going the way she planned. The man appeared to be choking on the flaming stick, Savannah moved to assist when she saw that he was eventually alright, sending out a large belch of fire before patting his stomach with satisfaction, both the newcomer and Savannah had a look of disgust. Even if Savannah had seen it at least once every morning.

"I'm really, very sorry!" she said apologetically, the fire breather held his hands up as though to tell her it was alright.

However, it seemed like it wasn't only Savannah who took sudden interest in this new comer. Someone else had their eye on the disguised princess, a certain young street rat. The startled young woman readjusted her hood, making sure to cover up the jeweled band she seemed to have never taken off. Although surprisingly, no one seemed to take notice.

"…Wow…" He whispered, letting the remainder of the melon fall out of his hands and onto the canopy. Abu arched a brow, scurrying onto his owner's shoulders and waving a hand in front of his eyes. The boy was mystified…enchanted. The monkey had seen this behavior once or twice before, heavily with that girl that seemed to never leave his side and now this new girl! When was the monkey ever going to get his friend back?

Lately, Aladdin had been having dreams. And in each one there would be a young woman nestled into his arms, depending on him to protect her from sudden danger. She would look up at him with those big brown eyes of hers and that smile which melted his heart every time he saw it. But he could never put the face on the woman…until now that was. This young woman before him reminded him so of the young woman in his dream. For a while he thought it may had even been Savannah, but no…those eyes…

It was like he dreamed of the woman before him.

And yet, just to be sure, he would watch her a little longer.

The young woman wandered further into the marketplace, passing more venders who were trying to get her to buy their products and items, her eyes catching onto a child struggling to reach the apple on the stand.

"Oh, you must be hungry," she said sympathetically, smiling as she plucked the apple off of the stand and handed it to the child who smiled up at her, his tiny hands grasping onto It. "There you go," she smiled, watching him nod and run off. The vender quirking a brow at her.

"You'd better have money to pay for that." He made sure he was right to the point.

"Pay…?" Never once had the girl had to pay for a meal. Then again, she was quite new to the real world.

"Thief!"

Outraged, the owner believed she was trying to play mind games and make a fool of him, when neither or were true. However, you couldn't trust a soul in this time and era. He grasped the young woman's wrist and pinned it down, for good measure, the arm landed with a thud, and the princess winced. "The penalty for stealing!" He wouldn't hear of her stammers, or her notions on getting money from the sultan. Now he knew for sure she was lying. No one he knew was able to get money from the man who took money.

"No, no, please!" she pleaded. Aladdin's eyes widened and quickly he hurried down from the canopy, allowing his legs to carry him as fast as they could, grasping the owner's wrist just before he were about to amputate the poor, confused girl.

"There you are! I've been looking all over for you," he said, eyeing the girl carefully.

"What are you doing?" The girl asked.

"Just play along," he responded.

The owner of the stand looked the two of them over. "You…know this girl?"

Aladdin had been about to respond, when none other than Savannah sauntered over out from the shadows where she had been watching the entire scene. Aladdin perked a brow before he received a slap. It was all just the beginning of her plan, she'd pick it up where he left off. So, technically, wouldn't it still be his plan? Ah well, his plan, her plan, it was a plan nonetheless.

"You were supposed to be watching her," she said, playing off her aggravation. "I can't believe you would just let her walk off like that!"

Aladdin rubbed where she had hit him, giving a light glare. "I turned my back for a second!" Now, he was just getting defensive. Savannah merely rolled her eyes.

"Right, right, and what if we were to have any children? I can't do a thing with you!"

The owner of the stand continued to eye the trio, Aladdin making circles with his index finger to his temple to indicate they were both crazy…in which both women took offense.

"My apologizes for my sister-in-law, good sir," Savannah said apologetically. "You see she is very ill."

Aladdin murmured up against the other, "What did I tell you? They're both mad."

However, the owner of the lost apple didn't find it so funny. He grasped Aladdin by his vest and yanked him up to his eye level. "She said she knew the sultan!" he exclaimed. Aladdin eyed the perimeter carefully before landing on Abu, he grinned.

"She thinks the monkey is the sultan," he said, gesturing over to the grinning monkey who quickly withdrew his hands from an unsuspecting commoner's pocket. The princess, who had been standing there quite confused, finally played along, dropping down to her knees, she mimicked a commoner.

"Oh wise sultan! How may I serve you?"

Abu, still grinning now, spoke in his monkey tongue, patting her head afterwards. Aladdin took this time to pluck an apple from the cart with his foot, Savannah watching carefully. He then presented the cart owner with the piece of fruit.

"Tragic, isn't it?" He then straightened himself out, slowly settling himself from the angered man's grasp. "But! No harm done. Come my lovely wife, it's time to take our beloved sister to the doctor," he said, quickly stepping away completely and over to the unrecognized princess, picking her up and began to lead her off. "Come along, sister, it's time to see the doctor."

The princess moved over to the nearest thing she could find, which had been a camel. "Well hello doctor, how are you?" She tilted her head with an ill stare about her decorated with a smile.

"No, no, sis, not that one," Aladdin chuckled. "Come along, sultan," he said to the monkey whose vest was now bulging, he bowed, still speaking in his monkey tongue. Savannah began to move away, gathering that prediction that chaos was about to erupt. And then she saw all of the treasures the monkey had worked so hard to collect had fallen out, spilling onto the dirt road.

The obese man's eyes widened. "What….what?! Come back here you thieves!!"

She just had to think that way? "Run!" she shouted, making a break for it while Aladdin took hold of the other woman's hand and led her out of the scene, Abu hurrying behind them while the shouts of the vender hung through the afternoon.

When they were far enough, Savannah glanced at the two, with hands on her knees, she panted. "How stupid could you have been!?" She shouted. "You could have gotten us killed!"

"But it worked, didn't it?" Aladdin asked, brushing himself off while caring for the other woman. "Besides, don't shout. You're scaring her."

Savannah could already feel her eye twitching. "I don't care who I'm scaring! I'd rather be scared than dead!" She smacked him in the back of the head. "And that was for calling me crazy!"

Aladdin rolled his eyes, glancing at the other woman beside him, thinking it was best to ignore the other right now. "Are you alright?" He asked. She gave him a nod. Then he smiled. "Good. We should probably head back home now…you can come with until you get yourself straightened out," he smiled.

Then she smiled, and from the corner of her eye, Savannah caught a look to Aladdin she had never seen before. Lucky for her, she didn't see the smile earlier…otherwise it would have just broken her heart.

--

"Ah…sands of time reveal to me the one who can enter the cave," a voice said from behind a crystal ball to reveal the image of Aladdin assisting the cloaked princess climbing a ladder, followed by the street mouse who had the monkey on her shoulder. "Yes! Yes!" He exclaimed triumphantly. "There he is! My diamond in the rough!" Hissed the voice that belonged to the sorcerer while he grinned behind the crystal ball. This plan had been unraveling much better than he had imagined.


	8. Discover For Yourself

Hello there! I am back with yet another chapter for you all! Aren't you excited? Haha. Anywho, this one isn't as great, I already know this, but I had to get this one out of the way, so, I'm not really proud of this one although I know you at least get the drift of what I'm trying to say, y'know? Alright, moving along! So, Jasmine is now in the picture and Aladdin is ignoring Sav. For how long will this behavior latch on? Who knows, could be the whole fic, you just have to wait and find out.

Please read and review, I love all of your comments!

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Chapter 8- Discover for Yourself

"So, this must be your first time in the marketplace, isn't it?" Aladdin inquired when they were safe and away from the palace guards. Jasmine gave a mental sigh of relief. She didn't need Razoul or the others to discover her just yet…she hoped it would never come.

Savannah stared at her while she climbed up the building, only to fall into his arms while she tripped on that last step. The two gazed at one another, both in confusion…both could feel their hearts pounding while Aladdin's grip tightened on her. Savannah slipped past the two, moving to find a pole to use to vault over to the next building. She still couldn't watch them.

"Is it that obvious?" Jasmine asked the other, referring to his previous question that she had just realized then that she hadn't answered.

"You do kind of stand out," he blushed a little, moving back a bit from her, but then cleared his throat when Savannah tossed him over a pole that nearly struck him in the face. Lucky for him he was quick on his bare toes. He used the pole, jumping over to the next building, he turned his back to the two women for a second, grabbing a plank for the new girl to use. Jasmine gave a slight smirk to herself while she thought the gesture was cute, she wasn't going to say aloud she didn't need it. She grabbed a pole from the side and positioned it while the other was busy.

"You just don't know how dangerous Agrabah can be," Aladdin commented in a supposedly manly voice that Savannah just rolled her eyes at. She glanced for a pole for herself, only to find Jasmine in the process of jumping over the building.

"Hey, wait!" she called out, but already found her safely on the other side of the building. He stared in pure surprise, he and Abu both.

"I'm a fast learner," she smiled, tossing the pole to Aladdin before moving towards the end of the building…Savannah still behind.

The other street mouse sighed a bit and found a slightly shorter pole, but thought it would do. She positioned it as Jasmine had done moments ago and moved to jump, although with her luck, she missed a step and merely fell from the building while she caught onto the edge of the building she had been aiming for. She pulled herself up, her eyes watching the other two forms walk away. She blew her hair from her eyes and groaned a bit as she tried to pick herself up, raising her leg, she used it like a grappling hook and rolled over onto the top of the building, finding the two of them gone.

When she eventually caught up with the two, Aladdin had been protecting her head from the beams and poles that were rotting away. He brought her up to the very top.

"Is this where you live?" Jasmine was the one to inquire this time. Aladdin gave her a smile.

"Yep, just me and Abu, come and go as we please." Savannah's eyes widened a bit, clearing her throat purposely for a little attention. "Oh…right…Savannah, too…" he laughed nervously, suddenly feeling like a husband that had just gotten himself into a fist full of trouble.

"Sounds fabulous," Jasmine said, awe stricken while she hurried up further with the male who had both her hand and now her heart.

"It's not much," he added, letting her take a seat before moving the tattered and moth eaten curtain back to reveal that same amazing view of the palace that Savannah had grown to hate. "But it has a great view," he promised, noticing the sudden drop in her face, the glow that was once there was no more.

"Oh…sure…it's wonderful," she commented. Savannah leaned against the wall, raising a brow. Perhaps she collected the same views as her? Could it be? …Maybe she wasn't all that bad…

"You know, I always wondered what it would be like to live there," Aladdin said, hoping she wouldn't get the wrong idea…maybe….if he plagued her head with a dream that she would suddenly have that glow again…that glow that made him blush. "Have some servants, valets…"

Unfortunately for Aladdin, she wasn't biting.

"Oh sure, people telling you where to go, where to stand, what to do, where to do it…how to dress, how to talk…" She sounded absolutely miserable…which on some level delighted Savannah.

"Ah, but it must be better than spending your life here. Always scraping for food, ducking the guards…Savannah knows, don't you?" The other female nodded.

"They balance each other out, though," Savannah said. "That's why the system is the way it is. You have your pros and cons."

"Sure there's luxury and riches," Jasmine added. "But you're not free to make your own choices. You're always bottled up inside, locked away in some room…"

Aladdin took it as though she were talking about the life in general, how she must picture it. But he could relate. Being a street rat was the same token…just the other side of it.

"But sometimes you feel so…" he couldn't find the word.

"You're just so…" she couldn't find the word, either.

But sure enough, they found it, and in unison, they said, "Trapped."

Only two people who know they're meant for one another claim the same feeling and say it the same moment they think it. Savannah cleared her throat once more, this time, on her own without any meaning behind it and turned her back to the two, staring out at the sky, ignoring the glimmer and glitz of the palace.

"So where are you from?" Aladdin asked, taking an apple Abu had in his hands, the poor little monkey had just gone in to take a bite, too, only to open his eyes to find the red fruit gone.

"What does it matter?" Jasmine responded. "I ran away and there is nothing anyone can say or do that could make me go back."

"Really?" Aladdin asked, curious now what made this girl run away, he was sure she had a family waiting for her right at that moment, that probably missed her, too.

"My father is forcing me to get married," she replied, biting her lip softly, disgusted at the words, the mere thought of being married to someone she didn't love. Savannah couldn't help but feel a little sympathy and a bit of compassion towards the girl. That was a good enough reason to run away.

Aladdin handed the apple back to Abu after he had taken a bite from it. "That's…that's awful," he replied.

"You don't have to worry about a thing," Savannah said with a smile. "You don't have to worry about any arranged marriages so long as you're here."

While the one comforted the other, Abu had plans of his own, eyeing the fresh, uneaten apple in the new girl's hand. Aladdin caught him trying to reach for it.

"ABU!" Aladdin shouted, shooing the animal away, only to receive monkey speech in response.

"What's wrong with him?" Savannah asked.

Aladdin quickly cooked something up in his head. "Abu says…that's not fair…and he wants to know if there's anything he can do to help…"

Jasmine smiled, finding it very sweet and thoughtful. "Oh really?" She glanced up at the monkey who just exploded with confusion, now perched on Savannah's shoulder who had been peeling her own apple, giving a shaven slice to the monkey. "Tell him that's very…" she moved in closer to the other. "Sweet…"

Aladdin would seize the opportunity, doing what his manly genes told him to do as he leaned in, finding the girl hadn't been objecting him, either…that was...until…

"There you are!" Razoul and his group of guards stood there, proud at finding what they had been searching for. The trio quickly stood.

"They've found me?!" The trio looked at one another.

"They're after you?!"

"Ohh, father must've sent them," Jasmine moaned, moving back towards the gaping hole in the wall. Aladdin quickly looked behind him, another brilliant idea coming to him, reiterating what had been said before about him being quick on his toes.

"Do you trust me?" He asked, offering her his hand. Savannah knew she had heard those words before.

Jasmine, at the moment had no choice as she took his hand, feeling the weight just lifting as she fell and landed onto a pile of salt, Savannah falling right on top of Aladdin, the male gave an 'oof' in response.

"Looks like we keep running into one another, don't we, street rat?" Razoul smirked in triumph as he tossed Savannah off of Aladdin, grasping the male by his vest.

"Let him go!" Jasmine ordered, however, Razoul did not recognize her in the least.

"Well, look and what we have here men, another street mouse!" he and the men had themselves a hearty chuckle. He threw her down not too far from Savannah. Jasmine helped the other up before yanking off the hood from her robe, revealing the blue gem tiara.

"Unhand him! By order of the princess!"

That changed the entire mood, the laughter ended, and bows fell all around her, aside from Aladdin and Savannah. Aladdin who had been forced to bow by Razoul and Savannah who had been wrestled down by another guard.

"The princess…?" Aladdin had been both dazed and confused. That vision…that angel…was the princess?"

"…The princess?" Savannah looked down, she didn't need anyone to make her bow. All this trouble…all because of the princess. They wouldn't have found them…if she wasn't there.

"What are you doing outside of the palace?" Razoul inquired. "And with this common trash no less?"

"That is none of your concern. Unhand them now. Do as I command." If there was any time to throw around her power it was now.

"As much as I would love to princess, my orders are from Jafar. You'll have to take it up with him." It truly was out of Razoul's hands. He was all muscle…with no real power.

Jasmine, now fuming, crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh believe me I will."

--

Now inside the palace, safe and sound, much to her displeasure, Jasmine walk throughout the palace, searching for the man responsible for all of this. "Jafar!" she shouted when she saw him.

The tall lanky man, covered in garbs of maroon and black bowed as he opened up his cape. "My princess, how many I be of service to you?"

"The guards just took a boy and a girl from the marketplace," she began, then glared. "On your orders!"

"Your father kept me in charge of keeping peace in Agrabah, the two were criminals."

"And what was their crime?" she questioned, placing her hands upon her hips to show how stern and upset she was over the matter.

"Why, kidnapping the princess, of course," Jafar responded, giving her a smile to satisfy her, but the princess was hard to please.

"They didn't kidnap me, I ran away!"

"Oh dear, how frightfully upsetting." He caught the look upon her face, no different reaction yet. "Had I but known."

"What do you mean?" He then went onto explaining to her how his sentence had already been carried out and there was nothing more he could do.

"What sentence…?" She was almost afraid to ask.

"Death," Jafar replied, her eyes widened. There, that was the response he was hoping to find. He had dug into her long enough. "By beheading."

She collapsed onto a ottoman, lost and dumbfounded. But why…? If only they had questioned her first!

"I am exceedingly sorry princess." Jafar walked over to her, placing his long, seemingly decrepit fingers upon her shoulders She yanked herself from his hold, glaring once more.

"How could you!?" Her voice had been hushed, choking back tears as her mind wandered further and further to the boy that had made her feel so strangely, but her tone was sure to bite into the vizier. She released herself from the environment and the scene, running off more than likely to tell her father of the horrid things Jafar had provoked. But only one thing really upset her more than anything: she didn't even know his name.


	9. Dungeon Life

Alright, so, here is chapter 9 at long lost. We are well on our way to finishing this fic. Aren't you excited to see what happens in the end? In this chapter, I touched upon a tough topic for some, so, if any of you are offended, or anything related to that, let me know and I'll make my corrections. I hope you like this chapter, though. I tried to touch more on Al and Sav in this chapter, it's not by much, but, it's coming along. I just didn't want to rush it. So, yeah! Please continue to read and review, I love all of your comments! I really do!

Chapter 9- Dungeon Life

While the newly discovered princess cried in her tower above, the two street rats dwelled beneath, chained up to the wall in the darkest depths of the dungeon to ensure they would be forgotten about and left to die. The young male, the one called Aladdin had been having a conversation with himself, mostly in shock from the recent discovery. The young woman who had won over his heart was none other than the princess of Agrabah herself! How could he have been so stupid!?

"I can't believe it…she was the princess…" A sigh seeped out from his desperate lips. "I must have looked so stupid to her!"

A body groaned in response to reveal it to be none other than Savannah herself, chained up beside her male companion, but the guards were sure they kept their distance. She was quiet and kept to herself, more than likely trying to think of what to say to him. He almost kissed another woman right in front of her, he fell for that same woman… She couldn't help but question what that other woman had that she didn't?

"Sav?"

She picked her head up, she'd drive back to that question later. Right now it wasn't of any major importance.

"Yeah?" She responded, one could hear the exhaustion in her voice. She cleared it. Aladdin gave a slight wince, if one could consider the slight flinch one.

"Are you alright…?"

How was she to respond to that? 'No, I'm not alright, you almost kissed some other girl in front of me, it bothers me and you're acting like a total asshole to me?' …Nah. Well, she could…but she wasn't going to.

"I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine." Now it was her turn to wince. The thick shackles were cutting into her wrists. They hurt.

"Don't move so much," he said to her, instructing her as though he knew exactly what to do. "Just take it easy…relax…It won't hurt as much." He had gotten into tight spots before, mostly as a child, so, he knew quite well. When he looked into her eyes and watched her, he somehow felt her pain. He almost kissed another woman…he saw her…he saw the pained look in her eyes and yet his mind and body were compelled to that other woman, he felt he needed her and her comfort at that moment, and not Savannah. He really was a jerk.

Savannah took his advice and ceased her movements, leaning against the wall still. Well, at least she was sitting and wasn't anything like the skeleton across from her whose shackled were up high on the wall. The skeleton made her eyes widen. The one thing she never admitted to anyone was that she was afraid of death, and now she was staring it in the face.

"It's okay," Aladdin assured her. "He's not going to move." He didn't need for her to say anything, that look of horror said it all. She still said nothing and merely stared.

It was going to be a while for them, he assumed, he would have to try to talk the other out of being so frightened. Even he had to admit that skeleton was creepy and he was sure throughout the dungeon there were several more and more than likely decomposing bodies. But he didn't want to think about that at that moment. His main concern was snapping the female beside him out of her fearful trance.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the shadow of a small body shimmying down the bricks in the dungeon lair. Savannah took no notice. Instead, Aladdin picked his head up further, wondering, but as he caught a better look, he had a better idea of who it could be.

"Abu!" He said happily in much relief. The monkey chattered in response , stopping at his master's feet, dangling a set of keys in hand.

"C'mon, Abu…" Aladdin tried to compromise with the other, however, the money wasn't buying it. Instead, he teased his master with the keys, taking on the appearance of that slender, tantalizing female from earlier, trying to tell him that he screwed him over for a woman! Just as he did with Savannah the first time they met!

"Oh, c'mon, she was in trouble," Aladdin tried to get his partner in crime to understand. The monkey still didn't take the bait. "But don't worry, I'll never see her again. She's a princess, and she's got to marry a prince." He took a moment to himself and whispered, "She deserves a prince."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Abu muttered, moving up onto his owner's shoulders and undid the lock, then moved onto the female beside him who still kept that cold, horrified expression. When her lock was undone, Aladdin moved over to her, taking caution in his steps before pulling the other into his arms, blocking her view of the frightful bones. He could feel her fingers biting into his vest, clinging to him on so tightly.

He stared at the trembling body in his arms, tightening his grip around her, attempting to comfort her. For a moment, he had a sudden realization of the world around him, of Savannah, of Jasmine, of everyone and everything. "I…was such a fool," he murmured gently.

"You're only a fool if you give up, boy."

It seemed they weren't alone. Aladdin looked up from his trembling companion to the owner of the voice, only to find the skeleton had been blocked, instead a limping, elderly man was in front of the trio.

"Who are you?" Aladdin asked, his hands coaxing Savannah's back. The young woman, once hearing the other voice slowly looked up, and began to sit up on her own, but refused to move from the others arms.

"Just a lowly prisoner, just like yourself," he said, glancing from one to the other. "But perhaps we can be more than just prisoners."

"I'm listening." Aladdin was tempted to hear what this man had to say. The old man seemed quite pleased.

"There is a cave, boy, a cave of wonders! Filled with treasures beyond your wildest dreams, and perhaps even beyond that." The more Savannah listened, the more something didn't sit right.

"Why would you share such information with us?" She inquired, sitting up completely to stare this elderly man in the face. "Wouldn't you keep something like that to yourself?" Even Aladdin had to agree that there was something odd about this offer.

"I need a pair of strong legs and a strong back to go in after it." The old man was clever with his responses, chosen carefully to tempt and persuade. "You my dear, should stay here. I did say strong legs and strong back."

"I can pull my weight," Savannah argued. No one was going to tell her she wasn't strong enough.

The old man was at a loss. She wasn't the diamond in the rough, she couldn't go in. The cave would never admit her access.

"And how do we know this cave exists?" The female just had questions all around that evening.

She wanted proof? Fine, he'd show her proof. He reached into his tattered and molded robes, plucking out red gems, flashing them to the two, making them smell and taste the treasure. He was sure he had them hooked now.

"Even enough treasure to impress your princess, I'm sure." Now he knew he at least had the boy. The girl still didn't seem convinced, not fully.

"There's one problem," Aladdin said. Savannah was sure, from the looks on his face earlier, that he realized the cold truth that he was out of the princesses league. "It's out there, we're in here." Her face dropped. He was hooked and snagged like an ignorant fish.

The elder man's lips curled into a smile, taking the cane he had been leaning against, he counted bricks on the wall before pushing it out, hearing it fall onto the sand below, that one brick must have triggered something as a few other bricks fell after that, creating a hidden passage way out, beams of moonlight poured into the dungeon more so than the bars had provided.

"Savannah, are you sure you want to come?" Aladdin asked. He gave some thought into this. It seemed like a dangerous trip to take, because he even knew you don't get something for nothing.

"I won't leave you," she said, looking up at him. She was headstrong, the two of them knew and knew it well. "I can't…and I don't want to."

The male sighed gently. "It might be dangerous…I don't want you getting hurt."

"It's me," she smiled in response. "You know me. I always bounce back."

He shook his head, but then smiled. There just was no stopping her. "Fine," he said, letting her out of the dungeon first, Abu following second, the old man, then him.

"First, we need a camel," the elder man said. "This trip will be a long one."

They walked off into the citadel. They'd have to steal one for no one was up at this hour of the evening. Aladdin helped Savannah from the top of a wall as she jumped and landed into his arms, voices could be hears in the background. They paid no mind to it and ventured off forward to find their camel.

The owner was asleep, just as they assumed. Abu slipped into the open stable and pointed out a healthy one, Savannah slipping through next to unlatch it and would leave for Aladdin to take it. Together, it worked out without the owner waking from his pleasant sleep. Again, they heard the shouts of fighting.

"In you go!" It was the voice of Razoul, and the aches and groans of an elder man as he had been shoved onto his knees. Savannah stared curiously after they rounded the corner, the old man with them sighed. He didn't have time for this. Yet you couldn't pull the bunch of teenagers now.

After the elder man was on his knees, Savannah remembered him as the man she saw a while prior to this evening, the man she met in the marketplace that day who had his opinion on the sultan and thought the princess would serve Agrabah well, the same man she and Aladdin saved and rescued on top of the balcony when the couple wasn't home.

"What's going to happen to him?" She looked up at Aladdin for the answer, but by the look on his face, he either knew and wasn't saying anything, or he was just as confused as she was. Aladdin remained silent.

"Savannah, maybe you shouldn't look…" his arms were around her waist at this point, ready to snag her away from the scene if what he thought was going to happen was going to take place.

They lowered the elder man's head onto a box of sorts, Razoul removing his sword from its sheath. "You stole from the royal garden, and a number of proprietors caught you stealing from their carts. How do you plead?"

The man said nothing.

"How do you plead!?" Razoul questioned, demanding his answer. He raised his sword, but found he couldn't do it, which brought on relief to Savannah and Aladdin, but just when they thought there was hope and a few extra years on that man's life, Savannah watched Razoul test the blade and found it wasn't sharp enough to do the job that it needed to do. Another guard handed Razoul a freshly cut blade. Smiling with satisfaction, Razoul took the blade and raised it over his head, the man's eyes clenched tightly, then they relaxed, which showed to the teenagers that he wasn't afraid of death, and even though he couldn't seem them at that moment, that they shouldn't be afraid, either.

Razoul then brought it down and the sound of him completing his mission could be heard throughout Agrabah. The others cleaned up the mess so there wasn't question or disgust in the morning.

Savannah, once more, stared in horror, this time, felt the tears in her eyes. Aladdin quickly turned her, wouldn't allow her to watch the clean up while he held the other so tight in his arms. Her face was buried in his chest and her eyes once more cried the Nile river. She wasn't sure what to feel, or how to react at that moment. It was just all too much to take in, it made her hate the royals and the stupid caste system all the more.

Aladdin swallowed hard. It was hard for the both of them. How could they kill like that? So easily? He had a feeling they even wrongly accused him. And that burned him. It made him realize how important a human life was. When you're a street rat, you don't take much into consideration. Just stay alive...no time to go in depth on the topic. But now that he saw it...in a way...he felt more like a man for despising it. In a way, Aladdin grew up a little on the inside. When he became sultan, things would change...and maybe...even in the change Savannah had wanted. Now he was beginning to understand what she meant. They connected a little on the inside.

"Why did it have to happen…?" So the man was one of them… the man had hopes that his future may have been saved by the Sultan, or the princess. He never knew it would be the law that ended his life.

Aladdin refused to let the other go. "Don't be afraid," he assured her nonetheless. "Don't let this break your spirit… You're stronger than this, Savannah." This was the second time he saw her cry, the second time she let her guard down in front of him. Yet Aladdin had shed a tear or two himself, even though he kept telling himself he was strong, that he hadn't cried since his mother had passed away. Alas, there was always an exception for breaking even the longest vows to yourself.

"Why did this have to happen to him!?"

Still, there was no answer and he knew there would never be an answer. He knew Savannah also knew. The old man was growing impatient. Aladdin turned, cleared his own throat, with the back of his hand, he wiped the stray tears, and saw the irritated look upon his face and walked over with Savannah, placing her onto the camel, he wasn't going to make her walk. He helped the elder man up as well and ventured out into the desert, feeling the sands whip him the further he walked.

And indeed it was a long journey, but he would see that it was well worth it in the end. Now that he saw the impressive tiger head before him, the one who would pass judgment upon the street urchin.

"Who disturbs my slumber!?"


	10. The Cave

It has been far too long and that is entirely my fault. I'm not sure how many of you out there still follow this story or read it every so often. But I want to thank every single one of you that have read this story, Favorited it, Favorited me as an author. I really, really appreciate it. It's been bothering me that this story was never finished, as I missed working with Savannah and her story with Aladdin. I figured let me finish this and maybe I'll get around to retweaking the story and use many of your helpful suggestions. I had so many ideas for her and I want to complete it.

Compared to my other chapters with Savannah's strong personality, I thought we should get a glimpse of Savannah's more forgiving side. I think she's a little too forgiving when it comes to Aladdin, but we shall see, right? Anyway, onto the story, and again, reviews would be much appreciated! I do take everything you say into account!

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The sand built feline head was intimidating to say the least. The trio of humans, plus one primate stood there, cowering as its eyes glowed menacingly in inquiry. Savannah held onto Aladdin's hand tightly with no intention of letting go. Aladdin, on the other hand, clutched Savannah to him to protect her from such a creature. The stray sand that whipped with the wind stung their skin, however, ignored it as the growling head inquired of whom had disturbed its slumber. Aladdin looked down at Savannah and gave her a reassuring smile as he approached the head, clearing his throat.

"It is I, Aladdin." What would come next, he wondered; thunder booming in the distance. The Cave of Wonders sized him up with a perk of its eye, judging whether he was worthy or not, ignoring the cowering monkey hiding in his vest.

"Proceed," it accessed. "Touch nothing but the lamp." The Cave warned Aladdin before resuming its rigid stance, mouth agape and its tongue transforming into a staircase, which descended to where Aladdin desired to be.

Savannah stared on, unsure of whether to allow Aladdin to go by himself or not. To hell with that, there was no chance she would leave Aladdin all on his own. She moved past the elderly man and stood by Aladdin's side. The elder man shook his head.

"Only one may enter! The girl will stay with me-" Savannah interrupted with a series of protests, getting in the elder man's face before he pushed her back like she was paper. "The girl stays here, otherwise you both die. And remember boy, first bring me the lamp! Then, I will give you your reward. A promise is a promise, after all." There was something sinister in the way he presented the promise of a reward. It made Savannah all the more unsure of whether to trust what he said about The Cave only admitting one. But, she couldn't chance Aladdin getting hurt because she refused to listen.

Before entering The Cave, Aladdin approached Savannah and took her hands into his own. He stared into those eyes, realizing then how much he had hurt her. This woman looked at him with adoration and something else he couldn't place; but overriding that, he saw the pain she was so desperately trying to hide. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have let a princess make him lose track of what he had in front of him? Hormones were a funny thing. When he returned, they were going to have a talk about this, he vowed, even if to no one but himself.

"Hey, look at me..." He tilted Savannah's chin to force her to look up at him when she tried to look away. "I'll be back before you know it. And after that, you and I are going to have a talk, I promise. There's something we should discuss, about before."

Savannah shook her head, she had such a feeling of unease over this whole Cave of Wonders business. Call it women's intuition, if you will. "Just come back to me, Aladdin." And to make sure he knew what he'd miss if he didn't, she pulled him in, placing her lips upon his own in a sweet, but tender lock of lips. This caused Aladdin to grip onto her shoulders in pleasant surprise, upon feeling him return it, she sighed. The princess didn't matter then, call her a forgiving soul, but there would be time to sort out this mess when he returned. This was no goodbye. When they parted from the kiss, she turned him around to start his way inside with Abu. Aladdin was unsure what hit him, feeling his mind and his heart scatter in all different directions. He turned back to face her for a final time before entering the cave.

"I promise." And with that, he ventured within, descending down the narrow, winding staircase. He took a deep breath and focused on his mission, attempting to ease his partner who cowered still, trembling on his back. Aladdin shook his head, allowing his eyes to adjust to the lighting within. He was unable to comprehend how such a wonder could exist in the desolate sands near Agrabah. Lower he descended, finally reaching the end where he entered a hall of gold, rubies and other goods he could have only dreamed about.

"Abu! Look at all this," Aladdin said excitedly in a hushed voice, afraid the cave may hear him if he spoke too loudly. "A handful of this gold would make me richer than the Sultan himself...I can see Sav dripping in these rubies," he chuckled to himself. "How 'bout that?" Abu rolled his eyes and tumbled off Aladdin's shoulder, exploring the inner workings of the cave, staying on the created paths that were between heavy mounds of gold. He was warned not once, but twice by Aladdin to not touch anything and Abu was on his best behavior, for now. Temptation had yet to set in.

Outside, Savannah eagerly awaited Aladdin's return, her arms crossed. The elder man seemed more anxious than her and she only wondered why. What was so special about some lamp, anyway? When she tried talking, or asking about it, the elder man ignored her. She distracted herself on something else. For the first time, in what seemed like ages, Savannah prayed to Allah for his safe return, putting all of her heart into this wish. She dropped to her knees and looked up into the heavens, asking her mother and the father she had never known to watch out for him. "Can't you see by now what he means to me?" She asked before the elder man told her to hush. She returned with a glare and felt her patience waning thin. Remaining on her knees, she returned her gaze to the opening. "Come on, Aladdin..."

The light from the gold ended and darkness simmered in. Aladdin had gained a new alliance with The Cave's Carpet. The animated tapestry was showing Aladdin the way and he couldn't have been more grateful, excited to see more. This was part of the adventure he had been waiting for and he couldn't help but bite his bottom lip with anticipation. He looked up at yet another narrow staircase that was supposed to be his next challenge before finding the prize bathed in moonlight at the top. Once more, he warned his partner to not sink his greedy little paws into anything before he ascended the stairs, feeling the burn in his thighs set in. His heart began to pound and his palms began to sweat, reaching the top to the platform that held what looked like a slightly rusty lamp. This was what all the excitement was over? What the old man was paying him gold and rubies for? Aladdin shrugged his shoulders and gently picked it up, handling it with such care, like an infant.

"This? Really? This is it? This is what we came all the way down to-" He turned around to prattle on with Abu before his face fell and his eyes widened. "Abu! No!" The monkey had already plucked the large ruby from the structure it had been sitting upon. The area began to vibrate, rocks falling from the ceiling of the cave before a large growl sounded from The Cave itself.

"INFADELS!" Abu attempted to put the gem back, only to find the structure melting, the temperature rising as Aladdin looked at his surroundings in horror. "You have touched the forbidden treasure! Now you will never again see the light! Of! Day!" The cave growled emphasis on those final words, the platform that held the lamp erupted in flames before Aladdin, causing him to jump back; the ceiling began to rain heavily with stones and large chunks from above, informing Aladdin that the belly of the cave was collapsing and advising him to make haste in his leave.

Savannah heard these words and her eyes widened, "Aladdin!" she called out, hopeful that he could hear her. But she was doubtful, prepared to go in after him to save him if she could, however, felt herself held back by the third member of their party. He was certainly strong for a man up there in age. Perhaps he worked out? "I have to go to him! Let me go!" She fought and was only held tighter.

Aladdin hopped onto the carpet and fought past the lava, fire and many boulders that crashed down from above. He was determined to get the treasure back to the old man, and more importantly, determined to have that talk with Savannah. All he could think about was holding Savannah and apologizing for being so ignorant to her and her feelings. He owed that to her. He urged the carpet forward, to move as fast as it could without crashing into any type of fixture. Eventually the carpet did crash, he clung to the stairs as Abu began to scramble up to an awaiting Savannah who was very much teary and all smiles for his return. She was absolutely relieved he came back. "Aladdin!" She broke free from their unwanted companion and reached down to help him up. Aladdin extended for her hand when Savannah was knocked back by the bald one. Aladdin called for her, only for the old man to step in front, in his way of freedom. What concerned him more was that he was beginning to slip, and he was unsure for how much longer he could hold on.

"Give me the lamp!" The elder demanded.

"Savannah!" He called out. "I can't hold on!" He looked at the stranger. "Give me your hand!"

"First give me the lamp!" After numerous throwbacks of the same sort of pleas of assistance and demands for the lamp, Aladdin reached into his vest and pulled out the lamp, issuing the relic into his grimy hands. The elder peasant held up the lamp in triumph, dancing with glee and Savannah crawled over to attempt to help Aladdin up, he had a good grip of her hand and with his upper body strength, he was able to begin helping her help him out of the cave. He couldn't help but smile at her effort. The elder, however, watched the two.

"How touching," he said in a monotone voice. "I shall give you your reward. In fact, I'll issue you both a reward right now. Eternal rewards." He withdrew a dagger and Savannah felt herself pushed forward. She shrieked and caught onto Aladdin's ankle, clutching for dear life. They possibly only had minutes left before the cave collapsed on itself and now a stranger was to kill them over a lamp. She heard Aladdin call out to her to hold on and she clutched on for as long and hard as she could muster, not daring to look down. Aladdin found himself being picked up by the elder, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the blade. Savannah lost her grip as Aladdin was raised, crying out as she slipped fell into the abyss. Aladdin hollered back for Savannah, Abu crawled up the stranger's arm and sunk his teeth into the others bony arm, causing him to cry out, flinging Aladdin back to join his friend in her demise. So long as he had the lamp and those two were dead, business was taken care of.

Jafar watched the last remnants of the monster's life before ripping off his beard and disguise with sheer glee, searching for the lamp to bring his treasure home, only to find it missing from his persons and caused him to let out a longing cry of frustration. Little did he know that he would have much more on his plate come morning.


	11. Genie of the Lamp

Okay, now we're getting somewhere! I have been dying to get to this chapter because I wanted so badly to experiment with the genie and I could only hope I've done him justice. I also feel there's a break in this Sav-Al-Jas triangle that has been formulating. Only a few more chapter to go before this fic is complete! Please leave some feedback, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thank you.

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Slowly, the little monkey scurried from his place of rest to the masculine figure, who laid unconscious on the ground. He remained still, despite the monkey's attempt to shake him awake. Abu shook him harder, with all of his might, whimpers and chatters desperate to wake the male. Aladdin slowly stirred and began to collect himself, blinking slowly as he began to refocus in the dark. How hard had he hit his head? He placed his hand to it as it throbbed and Aladdin winced. Not too far was a feminine figure; Aladdin realized it was Savannah. He crawled over to her and mimicked Abu's actions in shaking her awake.

"Sav...hey Sav..." He laid his hand upon her bare shoulder and gently rocked her, hoping to stir some kind of reaction. When she refused to wake, Al sat back and merely took her in, relieved when he saw her form rise and fall with each breath she took. At least she was still with him. He was so unsure of things, still, his mind in a complete state of confusion. Upon holding his hands up, he weighed both women in his hands. On one hand, there was Savannah. Sure, she was pretty, smart, funny, and she was his best friend. She was someone who held him at night when he was low, and he held her when she woke up from a nightmare. Savannah made sure he was fed, cared for him when he was sick and picked him up when he was down. That hand made him smile. However, when he looked at the opposite hand, he saw the princess; this gorgeous woman who simply glowed. He knew her briefly, but Aladdin could see her being the type of woman to really care for him, to pick him up, being everything Savannah is and more. Unsure as he was, Aladdin could not help but be drawn to Jasmine. When he looked into Jasmine's eyes, that spark was just there.

Not that Savannah didn't have a spark. Savannah was the type of woman that would be that wife and mother someday. Aladdin often enough dreamed of having that family he never had; that family he always wanted. He vowed to himself that his children would never roam the streets, wondering where their father was, or why they couldn't have a father of their own. No, Aladdin was going to be that father, and more often than not, Aladdin envisioned Savannah being the mother that held their newborn to her breast to nourish. But what kind of life would that be? Sure, he would be happy... He glanced to Savannah. Yes, he'd be very happy, but it would just be a repeat of his life now. Always scraping for food and ducking the guards. What kind of life would that be for his sons or daughters? It wouldn't. But with Jasmine, he could see that life, the wife and children, and not having to worry about food or shelter. As much as he hated to admit it, they would be taken care of. Not only that, Jasmine held this mystery that he wanted to explore. He wanted to get to know the woman who was locked up behind the cage. Aladdin wanted to save Jasmine.

Aladdin leaned his head back against the back of the cave. He glanced back down at Savannah, watching her sleep before he reached over to shake her awake once more. She needed to wake soon, otherwise he would really fear for her slipping into something she'd never rouse from. He shuddered at the thought. "Sav...c'mon...wake up." When the female began to stir, he let out a sigh of relief and a warm smile crept upon his features. "Easy now..." he eased her back into reality, helping her sit up and watched her look up at him with an almost helpless expression upon her face. She needed him to take care of her, and he would be happy to do it. He settled her up into a sitting position, held her back to his chest and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He never wanted to lose her, no matter what. He would fight to keep her in his life. "You alright?"

Wearily, she nodded and looked up and behind her, raising an arm, she reached up and draped it around his neck. "I'm just glad you're alright." She felt Aladdin's arms tighten around her. "And thank you...for coming back to me."

"I promised you I would," he whispered into her hair before watching her play with his fingers as she unwound one arm from her waist. "And there's another thing I promised you. Look, Sav...about Jasmine."

Savannah closed her eyes, afraid of what she was about to hear. She let out a deep breath that she had been holding in out and stared at the cave wall ahead. "What about her?"

"I'm sorry. You and I have something special, and I'm afraid I ruined that by bringing Jasmine into our lives. But...there's just something about her." Savannah closed her eyes tightly, the next intake of air a sharp, tight breath as she waited for him to continue. "You're my best friend, I love you and I don't want to ruin that. I don't want to lose you in my life. But Jasmine..." By this time, Savannah turned around and pressed her index finger to his lips. She would hear no more.

"Aladdin, you won't ever lose me, do you understand me? From the moment I smacked into you in the marketplace, you were kind of stuck with me," she laughed softly and watched a smile play upon his lips. "You mean so much to me...and I never want to lose that. All I want is for you to be happy." And if that meant pairing him with the princess for him to achieve his happily ever after, then so be it. Savannah was prepared for the heartache that would follow. Savannah decided she wanted a new change of subject. She had a strong feeling this topic would come up for discussion again, and she would be better prepared for it. For now, she would indulge herself in being safe and secure in his arms, if only for a few minutes longer.

"So, what ever happened with that lamp? Did the old man manage to run away with it?" Aladdin was at a loss for words, as a matter of fact, he was unsure of what happened to the lamp.

"He tried killing us, Savannah. That two-faced son of a jackal got away thinking we died and trapped us in here. He probably has the-" He was interrupted by Abu's chattering as he presented the lamp from behind his hairy little back with a grin. Aladdin's lips curled into a smirk as he took the offered lamp. "Why you hairy little thief...I trained you well," he chuckled before analyzing the relic that was in his hands. He turned it from side to side and looked beneath it for any inscriptions. Upon a closer look, he glanced up at Savannah who sat up across from him and glanced back down. He perked a brow when he noticed an inscription that was barely legible and rubbed it with his hand. "I don't get it. Why would he want a beat up piece of junk like this?" Savannah shrugged her shoulders. The moment her shoulders ceased shrugging, the lamp began to wiggle in Aladdin's hands, he clutched tightly to it as a cloud of blue smoke emerged, a tail of the same light, neon blue billowed from the spout of the lamp.

A long, exaggerated yawn was given from the large form that was built before the teens, now who were huddled together as Aladdin wrapped his arms around Savannah protectively. "Ten thousand years!" His voice boomed and shook the cave, Savannah wincing as her sensitive ears rang from her throbbing head. "It'll give you such a crick in the neck!" The blue creature grunted and groaned, stretching himself and twisted his head, which earned a gasp from the female in the room. "Hm?" The resident of the lamp bent down to get a good look at the two humans that summoned him, curious as to which of the two were his master.

"So, which one of you two love birds rubbed my lamp? Look at you, so cozy looking together, it is just a picture." He adjusted his thumbs and index fingers accordingly to form a square to fit Aladdin and Savannah into the frame.

Savannah was merely in a state of shock before slowly thumbing to Aladdin, indicating that he was the lamp's master.

"Say, master, what's with your girl? It's like she's never seen a genie before," Genie chuckled and simmered down to a less intimidating size and sat across from them cross legged.

"I'm not his..." Savannah cleared her throat, reeling from her shock. "I'm not his girl."

"Coulda fooled me," Genie shrugged. "So, what is my master's name? And the name of his lovely companion?" He flashed a smile towards Savannah. "Better?"

"I, um, I'm A-Aladdin. And this is Savannah..."

"Can I just call you two Al and Sav? Maybe Salav? Throw a mix in there?" He looked for a reaction, but just received a confused look from both parties. "Alright, forgetting the Salav salad. Moving on. Jeez, rough crowd tonight."

"So wait..." Aladdin let go of Savannah and sat her back before approaching the Genie. "Master? You're really a-?"

"What do you know!" The genie slapped a graduation cap and diploma on Aladdin out of thin air. "He can be taught!" He stroked his goatee and smiled, showing off a few more parlor tricks of duplication and slid back into one genie once more. "You! Aladdin, have been awarded one genie of the lamp, with a wish fulfillment of three."

"Wait, wish fulfillment?" Aladdin asked, blinking in shock.

"That's right, three wishes!" The genie paused for a moment before eying the two cautiously. The genie vanished from his spot, then reappeared in front of Savannah, who was startled from her spot. "And you, little lady, don't go putting the idea of more wishes in his head 'cause I won't do it." He crossed his arms and looked away from her.

Savannah looked appalled. "What!? I would never!"

The genie chuckled. "She really needs to lighten up."

Aladdin glanced over to Abu who was perched on his shoulder. "Now I know I'm dreaming."

"Master! I don't think you realize what you have in front of you! Sit back, allow me to explain..." The genie trailed off from there, showing off the glitz and glamor of having a genie of his very own. Dancing girls, endless amounts of food, the heavens and beyond for Aladdin as he was enamored with the idea of this new found magic. Genie once more sat in front of the two, looking to settle business and awaited the shock to drain from their systems.

"So, you want to grant me any three wishes I want?" Aladdin asked, setting the lamp down, finally. The genie sat back and tapped his finger against his lips.

"Well, about that. There are certain limitations..." Savannah extended her arm for him to continue as Aladdin awaited to hear what he could and could not wish for. "Well, for one, I can't kill anyone." He proceeded to decapitate himself via slicing his head off with the magic in his thumb. Savannah's eyes widened. "Rule number two, I can't make anyone fall in love." He glanced from Aladdin to Savannah and back. "But I could swear you two wouldn't need that rule." Savannah shot him a look as Aladdin sighed. "Alright, alright, sorry. Rule number three, I can't bring anyone back from the dead." He suddenly transformed into a corpse and rose himself from laying on his back. "It's not a pretty picture and I don't like doing it! But other than those three, you can have whatever you want."

"Limitations?" Aladdin glanced at Savannah, who began to wonder where he was going with this. However, she would play along.

"Sounds like there are certain things he can't do, Al..."

"Yeah, but listen to him play himself up. Some all powerful genie and he can't get us out of this cave? C'mon, Sav, even you have to admit something smells weird about this. We'll just have to find our way out of here, on our own, without his almighty magic."

"Al-" A large blue foot stepped in between Aladdin and Savannah, separating them as Genie stepped in front of Al wearing a rather pained and angered expression.

"Okay, you're doubting me? You rubbed my lamp, woke me up, and brought me out here? No, no, no, you're getting your wishes." He backed Aladdin onto the carpet where Savannah had perched herself on, taking a moment to realize what she was sitting on and blinked in surprise. But then again, after meeting such a colorful and gifted person, nothing surprised her. Once the duo had sat down, the genie levitated above them and began to instruct them to not fall out once the carpet was in motion. Aggravated, he shot forth from what they thought was an enclosed space in the ceiling, Savannah held onto Aladdin's back and felt the breeze in her hair and the warmth of the sun on her skin. She could barely believe they had made it out alive.

At least now they understood why the old man have such a desire for the old relic. Savannah couldn't blame him for trying...


End file.
